World’s Greatest Spin Doctor Commits Malpractice on Himself

“How Obama’s media strategy unraveled with recovered POW,” is explored by John Podhoretz in the New York Post, who asks, “What happens when the world’s greatest spin doctor commits malpractice — on himself?”

That is the question that now bedevils Barack Obama after what have been, without a doubt, the worst weeks of his presidency.

Who would have expected such a development? From the speech in 2004 that made him a rising star through the campaign in 2008 that made him president, Obama was the most formidable political propagandist of all time.

Read the whole thing. As long as he was selling himself as Savior To Be, and could point to others — George Bush, Hillary and Bill Clinton, John McCain and Sarah Palin, and eventually, a GOP Congress — as lesser politicians and strawmen to be knocked down and insulted, Obama was fine. But sooner or later, all elected politicians must govern. And the Bergdahl debacle was entirely of his own administration’s making.

Moral Narcissism is an evocative term for the almost schizophrenic divide between intentions and results now common in our culture. It doesn’t matter how anything turns out as long as your intentions are good. And, just as importantly, the only determinant of those intentions, the only one who defines them, is you.

In other words, if you propose or do something, it only matters that you feel good or righteous about what you did or are proposing, that it makes you feel better personally. The results are irrelevant, as are how the actual activity affects others.

Also, although it pretends (especially to the self) to altruism, moral narcissism is in essence passive aggressive, asserting superiority over the ignorant or “selfish” other. It is elitist, anti-democratic and quote often, consciously or unconsciously, sadistic.

The Obama administration is loaded with moral narcissists, including, obviously, the president himself — Valerie Jarrett, Susan Rice, John Kerry, Hillary Clinton etc. The media and Hollywood are also clearly stuffed to the gills with moral narcissists.

And the hits just keep on coming. This past week, Barry told NBC’s Brian Williams, long a gushing fan of Obama, that when it comes to the Bergdahl meltdown:

I make no apologies for it. It was a unanimous decision among my principals in my government, and a view that was shared by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This is something I would do again and will continue to do whenever I have an opportunity.

Hot Air’s Jazz Shaw writes in response:

Just for the record, it’s hard to be sure whether the President was saying “principals” as I transcribed above (as in, the key players in his administration) or if he was attempting to say “principles” in a more vague fashion. But given the context, the former seems far more likely. In either event, what was even more striking was the use of my government which caught my eye. It seems to reinforce the idea that – laws be damned – this is his show and he’ll run it as he sees fit.

“Having won two elections, I guess it’s Obama’s world now. We’re just living in it,” Jazz quips — but actually, between the disastrous Obamacare rollout, the IRS scandal, the V.A. scandal, and Vladimir Putin simultaneously blowing raspberries at Obama and devouring Crimean real estate, the past several weeks have demonstrated that this is what happens when world events overtake a man wholly unsuited to be president. Or as Podhoretz concludes his article, “You can only spin for so long before you start spinning yourself. Spin and spin and spin and soon you have a whirlwind to reap.”

Obama learned some 'street moves' when he was young - if he couldn't dazzle em with his brilliance (hope n change) he could surely baffle em with his BS (Bergdahl etc. etc.). His was always a 2 act show and we've seen it all. And all along he was short on brilliance and long on BS.

How much better it would have been if only: 1. The Swiss and Austrians had kept Lenin in jail or killed him when they had the chance in 19092. The Austrian Art Institute had accepted Adolph Hitler in 19103. Obama had become an actor. Glib, phoney, high opinion of himself. Made for Hollywood.

Talk is cheap. You've all said impeachment is politically impossible (can you imagine anything better with President Biden?) We all better start cashing in the bonds, selling the stocks and fund the democrats out of power this election cycle. Make democrats hari-kari crazy by using any corporate funds you control (as the Supreme Court has now allowed.)

Leftists may burble about 'peace'; the uninformed may continue on vacation; HOWEVER, when it comes right down to where the rubber hits the road, no American likes to lose. The Taliban Deal makes it clear that Obama is surrendering. Watch the continuing successful Chinese aggression in the East; and Putin's open sneering at the Lightbringer; and the hapless silly women fronting the American Dept of State.

You can spin for as long as the majority American populace apathetic, dependent and profoundly ignorant.

Throw in it appears the current military brass more worried about polishing their seat with their pants, their pension and position secure than being honorable and doing their duty, there is a predictable conclusion.

Obama will walk away from the traitorous and detestable Bergdahl unscathed too.

You can spin for as long as the majority American populace apathetic, dependent and profoundly ignorant.

I think you're missing some words. I'm guessing you meant to say "You can spin for as long as the majority OF THE American populace REMAINS apathetic, dependendent and profoundly ignorant".

Throw in it appears the current military brass more worried about polishing their seat with their pants, their pension and position secure than being honorable and doing their duty, there is a predictable conclusion.

I can't figure out what you're trying to say here. "Throw in it appears???" I think you MIGHT have meant to say "It appears that the current military brass IS more worried about polishing their seat with their pants, AND KEEPING their pension and position secure than being honorable and doing their duty". I can't figure out what "there is a predictable conclusion" is doing in there.

I am NOT trying to nitpick your grammar, not really. I truly don't know what exactly what you're trying to say. Please put a little more effort into proof-reading next time if you want your message to be clear.

I normally hate grammer police, because they think having a few typos, or one wrong word invalidates a whole argument. But I am with sparky on this one. You left out so many key connective gramatically necessary words in your post that it is almost impossible to interpret your meaning, and a litle bit of proof reading might have helped a lot.

Since Obama appoints the top brass, they might well be corrupted yes men. But successfully corrupting the officers underneath them, especially mid and junior level oficers, and even more our career enlisted, will not be as easy.

Obama learned some 'street moves' when he was young - if he couldn't dazzle em with his brilliance (hope n change) he could surely baffle em with his BS (Bergdahl etc. etc.). His was always a 2 act show and we've seen it all. And all along he was short on brilliance and long on BS.

How much better it would have been if only: 1. The Swiss and Austrians had kept Lenin in jail or killed him when they had the chance in 19092. The Austrian Art Institute had accepted Adolph Hitler in 19103. Obama had become an actor. Glib, phoney, high opinion of himself. Made for Hollywood.

"In 2012, the man who holds the position that in less enlightened times was referred to as “the leader of the free world” showered praise on “those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf.”

In keeping with Obama going off teleprompter/off script at Normandy on Friday to observe relative to Stanley Dunham Sr. who, reportedly, served some time under General Patton...

You might say, Obama has a psychopath-ish personality. I refer to the recent article, "Psychopaths: how can you spot one?" in the U.K. Telegraph . A criminal psychologist gives a list of 20 criteria for identifying a psychopath :

The book from which the article was drawn, Snakes In Suits. includes this choice tidbit : “Psychopaths can... have an apparent IQ higher than it really is, because they’re not inhibited by moral concerns.” ROFL! .